LG G8000

For many, the name LG conjures up images of refrigerators and television sets--not cell phones. Few realize the South Korean electronics maker is the world's sixth-largest handset manufacturer and probably the most under-rated mobile brand around. But if LG continues to produce sets like the G8000, this will surely change.

Exceptional Build Quality
At first glance, the LG resembles the Samsung SGH-V200 and Panasonic GD88 clamshell camera-phones. The brushed metallic casing is well-finished and conservatively designed with clean angular lines. It feels very solid and tightly constructed, and is the only mobile I’ve come across that can put Samsung’s high build quality to shame. It is no featherweight, though, weighing about 120g, with dimensions that lie between the Samsung SGH-V200 and the Panasonic GD88. User interface is comprehensive, fast and crisp, thanks in part to the numerous shortcuts available. The buttons are also well laid-out while key presses are accompanied by a satisfying "click" sound.

As we've seen with LG's earlier effort, the G5300, the G8000 uses the eZi predictive system for messaging, which is similar in operation to the oft-used T9 program. eZi automatically completes recently used words, while new entries can be added to the dictionary. Messaging is fast without any hint of lag.

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
The LG may look plain and bulky on the outside, but don't be fooled. This is an exciting multimedia handset. Its camera is located on a rotating ring in the center of the hinge. As it swivels freely to take self-portraits or videos, the screen image automatically rights itself depending on where the camera is pointing. Three resolutions of up to 352 x 288 pixels are available, as well as an effective night mode option. Pictures appear very good when viewed on the terminal but colors may seem inaccurately reproduced and viewed on the PC. Images taken are above average for camera-phones.

The G8000 also contains a surprisingly good video camera that is more than adequate for MMS. The duration of the clips, which include sound, goes up to eight seconds for multimedia messages, or otherwise up to about 15 seconds. The main display acts as a viewfinder and refresh rates are so high that we didn't detect any lines, discoloration or lag when capturing pictures or video clips.

The G8000's high-quality 65,000-color active-matrix LCD contributes to the whole movie experience. This high-quality screen is generous at 176 x 220 pixels, while video quality is smooth and sharp. I’ve showed off some music video clips on the phone to friends, and witnessed some dropped jaws. This display is a little less bright and less rich than that of Samsung screens.

The G8000 is also deceptive in a less flattering way. Camera and video operations are totally silent. At the same time, due to the rotating lens, it is possible to take shots while seemingly reading a message on the handset. For some, there may be a temptation to take surreptitious videos. Thus a frequent comment about this handphone is: That thing is dangerous!

Other Features
Its 40-tone polyphony is loud enough but not as clear or musical as Samsung’s polyphony. The phone accepts MMF and MIDI ringtones.

There is a memory pool of 3.2MB shared between the different media. This should be enough for most users but if you like to take a lot of videos or download a lot of clips, you’ll probably need to transfer some of your data to your PC to free up more memory space. A CD-ROM is provided which contains the various LG software for this purpose.

Connectivity comes in the form of data cable, infrared and GPRS. MMS system is competent, allowing for sending out of images, audio and video clips. There is also an in-built POP3 email client which allows for multiple attachments, including video clips. I’ve tried the MMS and email, and both work well here in Singapore. WAP browsing is a good experience with the large screen and GPRS Class 10.

This phone is not without its flaws, though. Java and Bluetooth are left out. Sadly, there is also no option to set the SMS alert to vibration, neither can you assign specific SMS tones to individuals or caller groups. Plus there is only one game in the phone, "Pocket Athletes", which consists of three sub-games.

SAR, Reception And Battery Life
According to the manual, the LG8000 measures 0.802W/kg on Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) tests. Based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), this is well below the limit of 2.0W/kg.

Signal strength and voice quality for the LG8000 are above average. The batteries provided are Li-ion 1050mAh. This allows for more than two days of moderate usage, which includes a fair amount of picture and video-taking and viewing.

Conclusion
The price is expected to be around S$900 without a line when officially released by LG in Singapore towards the end of this month. It isn't cheap, but the pain is soothed by inclusion of two batteries, a volume-adjustable handsfree kit, and data cable. This phone warrants very serious consideration over its bigger and better-known rivals. It gets our Editors’ Choice award for overall high scores in our grading system, performing particularly high on its build quality and performance.
Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.